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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867524">Change of Plans</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissoffools/pseuds/kissoffools'>kissoffools</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legally Blonde - Hach/O'Keefe/Benjamin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Comfort, F/M, Halloween, Pre-Relationship, Scary Movies, Trick or Treat: Treat</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:49:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,357</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26867524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/kissoffools/pseuds/kissoffools</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>She waits until the morning of October 31st before she admits defeat. Not one party invite. </i>
</p><p>
  <i>When had she turned into such a loser? </i>
</p><p>Elle's first Halloween at Harvard certainly isn't going according to her plans. But, thanks to Emmett, it just might be better.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Emmett Forrest/Elle Woods</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>93</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Trick or Treat Exchange 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Change of Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/cookiegirl/gifts">cookiegirl</a>.</li>



    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Elle waits all October for her first Halloween party invite. </p><p>She’s excited. Halloween is one of her favorite holidays—the fun costumes, the candy she’ll really only let herself pig out on for Halloween’s sake, the parties, the <i>see</i> and <i>be seen</i>. Back in Los Angeles, at Delta Nu, Halloween was always one of Elle’s times to shine. And Harvard hasn’t really been going the way Elle had hoped. No immediate friends, no study buddies, no one to invite over for sleepovers and face masks. It’s hard, if she’s honest. Elle isn’t used to being lonely. Whatever made her the belle of the ball back in California certainly hasn’t been working here in Cambridge. So she’s excited for Halloween, for a chance to dress up and have fun with her classmates and, with any luck, make a friend out of the whole thing.</p><p>She waits until the morning of October 31st before she admits defeat. Not one party invite. </p><p>When had she turned into such a loser? </p><p>She poses this same question to Emmett as he sits at her desk with a Red Bull, quizzing her about civil procedure. </p><p>Emmett pulls a face and leans back in the chair that he has co-opted as his own for the time being. “Come on, Elle. You’re not a loser.” </p><p>“I am, though!” Elle exclaims with despair. She flops dramatically back on the bed, knowing full well that she’s going bigger than she needs to. But it gets a chuckle out of Emmett, which is what she’s going for. She likes making him laugh. She never used to make people laugh before she got to Harvard—and unlike Vivienne and their other classmates, Emmett always seems to laugh <i>with</i> her. </p><p>“Would a loser know all about malum prohibitum?”</p><p>“Probably!” Elle says, sitting up again. Bruiser hops up to investigate her erratic movements, and she scoops him into her lap. “Nobody wants to party with me tonight. Not even Warner. He and I spent three different Halloweens together back at UCLA, and now he thinks I’m not good enough for him! One year we went as Justin and Britney, for god’s sake!” </p><p>Emmett’s smile is wry. “I bet that was quite a sight.” </p><p>“I’m fun, aren’t I, Emmett?” Elle asks.</p><p>“You are very fun,” he says with a nod. </p><p>“I’m nice, right?” </p><p>“The nicest.” </p><p>“Then why doesn’t anyone want to get drunk and dance with me in costume?!”</p><p>Emmett laughs quietly and sits back up straight again. “Elle, Harvard isn’t UCLA. People don’t party the same way. Vivienne Kensington is likely drinking pumpkin spice lattes and partying with her torts textbook tonight.” </p><p>“I cannot study on Halloween night,” Elle grumbles. “I need one break! One evening where I don’t have to think about acquittals and plaintiffs and hearsay!”</p><p>Emmett’s quiet for a moment, and then he snaps the textbook shut. “Okay. Let’s take a break.” </p><p>Elle blinks in surprise. “Really?” </p><p>“Why not?” Emmett shrugs. “You’ve worked really hard this month. Consider it my Halloween gift to you.” </p><p>“Halloween gift? Who gives Halloween gifts?” </p><p>“Do you want the night off or not?”</p><p>“Okay, okay!” Elle says quickly, grinning. “Do you want to hang out?” </p><p>Emmett raises his eyebrows. “You want to hang out with me, with nary a lawbook in sight?” </p><p>“I’m not a <i>monster</i>. I’m not using you just for your brain, you know.” Elle laughs.</p><p>“Well, sure,” Emmett says, standing up and tossing his empty Red Bull can in the trash. “What do you want to do?” </p><p>“Give me an hour,” she says. “Go grab some food and then come back. I’ll have our evening all planned out.” </p><p>He shrugs, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “You really do take the holidays seriously, don’t you?” </p><p>“Just wait til you see me on Christmas,” Elle says with a grin. She shoves his shoulder lightly. “Now go! One hour!” </p><p>Emmett shakes his head with a laugh and heads for the door. “You got it, boss. One hour.”</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div>By the time Emmett knocks on Elle’s dorm room door again, she’s all ready. She has the curtains drawn, the lights dimmed, and candles lit. It would be romantic, if it weren’t for the spooky sounds CD she found and is playing as she pulls open the door.<p>“Welcome back!” she grins, as the CD plays various howls, moans, and groans. </p><p>Emmett’s eyes widen and he takes it all in skeptically before he focuses back in on her. “And you are…” </p><p>“A black cat!” Elle says, pointing at the hair band with felt triangles resting on top of her head. “It’s all I could pull together last minute. You didn’t really give me a lot of time, you know.” </p><p>“I gave you an hour! You asked for an hour!” Emmett protested, checking his watch. </p><p>She laughs and grabs his arm. “I’m teasing. Get in here.” </p><p>Inside, the room is dark. Candles flicker on every surface. And lit up on the television is the DVD menu for The Ring. </p><p>She feels Emmett tense next to her as his eyes land on the TV. “Oh,” he falters. “We’re watching a scary movie?” </p><p>Elle raises her eyebrows in surprise. “Is that okay?” she asks. “I just kind of figured, that’s the next best thing to going to a Halloween party. Right? Do you not like scary movies?” </p><p>“No!” Emmett protests immediately, straightening up and clearing his throat. “No no, that’s fine. I just - yeah, that’s cool. I’ve heard this one’s good.” </p><p>“Are you sure?” She hesitates. “We totally don’t have to, if you don’t want to. I can get my textbook if you want.” </p><p>“I want to,” Emmett says firmly. He digs into his bag and pulls out a crumpled pack of Reese’s peanut butter cups. “Let’s watch the movie.” </p><p>There’s no room for a couch in her dorm, and Elle certainly doesn’t want Emmett to spend the whole movie watching from her wooden desk chair. So she drops onto her bed and slides over, leaning back against the headboard and patting the space next to her. Emmett hesitates for a moment, and then joins her.</p><p>And they sit like that, side by side but not touching as they snack on their candy, until they’re a half hour into the movie. Until the tension on screen has built, and a phone rings, and she feels Emmett jump next to her. She looks up at him and he grins, laughing shakily.</p><p>“Whew,” he says quietly. “That got me.” </p><p>“Are you okay?” Elle asks.</p><p>“Fine,” he says, turning his eyes back to the movie. It’s dark, but she thinks she can detect a faint trace of pink on his cheeks.</p><p>And then, fifteen minutes later, he jumps again. This time, a small noise leaves his lips. </p><p>Elle is starting to feel like maybe her movie choice wasn’t great. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asks gently. </p><p>“Yeah.” But Emmett’s jaw is tense. She can see his pulse beating quickly in his neck.</p><p>She pokes his side. “You’re a terrible liar, you know.” </p><p>Emmett exhales in surprise. “I’m not -” His eyes find Elle’s, and he seems to deflate. “Horror movies aren’t really my thing. Sorry.” </p><p>Elle feels herself soften. “Why didn’t you tell me?! We didn’t have to watch this!” </p><p>Emmett shrugs. “I didn’t want you to think I’m a wimp.” </p><p>She tilts her head, surprised. She hadn’t realized Emmett was worried about how she perceived him. Even strong people have their weak spots, she realizes.</p><p>“I don’t think you’re a wimp,” she reassures him, and she slides her hand across to rest over his. He starts a little, and she locks their fingers, squeezing gently. “Do you want to turn the movie off?” </p><p>Emmett looks at their hands for a moment, and then smiles, leaning his head back against the headboard. “No,” he says quietly. “I feel much safer now.” </p><p>She feels her heart skip a beat. <i>That’s new.</i> “You don’t have to be scared,” she tells him. “I’m here.” </p><p>One corner of his mouth turned up. “Oh, if only you knew.” </p><p>Elle blushes, ducking her head a little. He squeezes her hand in return. </p><p>“Let’s finish the movie.” </p><p> </p><p>
  <i>end.</i>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Happy Halloween, cookiegirl!! I love <i>Legally Blonde</i> so much and loved your letter. It was so fun to write a little bit about Elle and Emmett spending their first Halloween together. I hope you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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